Improvement in ceremonial bells



PATENTED JAN 10 1871 l JMA chaten States JOHN WQSMITH', 0F KEOK'UK, IOWA.

Letters Patent No. 110,875, dated January 10, 1871.

IMPRQVEMENT IN CEREMONlL BELLS.

The Schedule referred to Lu these Letters Patent and making part f the same.

To all whom fit may concern: A

Beit known that I, Join: W. SMrrH, of Keokuk,

in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ceremonial Bells; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and .exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, plate 1, is a perspective view 'of the case containing the bells.

Figure 2, plate 1, is a perspective view of a gavel adapted for use with the improved bells.

Figure 3, plate 2, is a sectional view of the case and bells.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding' parts iu the several figures.

This invention relates to an improvement which is designed for use during certain ceremonies, which 4are conducted by various secret and other societies, wherein they require the tones of a bell-gong.

The nature of my invent-ion consists- First, in the arrangement of one or more bells or gongs, within a suitable case or box, in suoli manner, that, while they can be conveniently struck by means of a gavel held in the hand, lthey will not be exposed to view, as will be hereinafter chplained.

Second, in a mode of mounting a bell or gong wit-liiu a portable inelosin g case, whereby full and deep tones can be produced, as will be hereinafter explained.

Third, in the employment of an elastic strip across the aperture of the case, through which aperture the hell is struck, as will beliereinafter explained.

The following description of my invention will enable those skilled in the art to understand it.

In the accompanying drawing- A represents a box or case, which maybe rectangular or ot' any other 'suitablcfshape, and which is preferably inade of dry or seasoned wood, carved and ornamented in any maiinei' suited to the taste.

This box or ease is perforated at a I), mounted on feet and provided with handles, h..

. The pertbratioiis or openings through the sides and top of the box are covered by some suitable clot-h, d, and across the two openings a a, narrow elastic strips c are tightly stretched..

By reference to plate 2, figure 3, the interior of the box A will bc seen.

Two bells or goings 15 B are so arranged iii the case A, with reference to the openings a a, that their pci'- ipheries can be struck by means of a gai/el, G, shown by'g. 2, or by any other suitable instruinentl.

`For some purposes only one b'c'll or gong will be required, but be there one or several, they will all be mounted .preciselyalike.

The larger bell B is arranged iii a slightly inclined position, and secured to a fixed cross-bai' T, by means of a bolt aud nut, Iin, and an india-rubber cushion, f.

y The ends of the bar .L are secured to Athe ends of the case A, and between this bar T and the hub which surrounds the eye of the bell, the rubber cushion f is compiessed. It' the bell was secured rigidly to the bar T, in direct contact with it, the tone ofthe bell would be sharp and more or less harsh, but by the iiiteiposition of the rubber cushion f, as described, the bell will have a full round tone, better suited to the object for which it is intended.

The elastic strip e, whicli'is stretched across the opening a, beneath the cloth, prevents this cloth from touchingthe bell, and also operates by its i'eecil,'at'ter heilig struck by the gavel G, to regula-te the round.

In front of the bell B is a sounding-board, S, which is perforated to conducttlie sound in the direction ot' the openings b, through the vertical sides ot' the case A. This board may be removed by sliding it out of grooves which receive its edges.

It', iii addition to the larger bell B, another one, possessing sharper tones, is required, this B will be arranged as represented iii tig. 3.

T is the cross-bar of this hell;

I3', in', the bolt and nut by which itis secured to said cross-bar;

f', its elastic cushion; and f S', its sounding board, which latter is perforated like the board S, and for t-lie saine reason.

VThe gavel which I prefer to employ has a long han` dle attached to a cylindrical head, the periphery of' which latter is covered with velvet or' some other suitable sott material, g. It' asoleinu tone' is desired, the covered part g is caused to strike upon the bell; and if a shrill, sharp, tone is required, the end of the gavel-liead is used as the striking part.

The apparatus which I have above described will presenta handsome appearance if properly tinishcd, and is adapted for use in lialls and lodge rooms, as well as iii proeessioiis.

Having described in) invention,

fha-t 1 claiin as new, and desire ters lateiit, is-

1. The ceremonial apparatus hoi-cin described, consisting of the case A, essentially as described, with one or more bells B arrangci'l within it, and

to secure by Let- Awith one or nioie holes Il, for the admission of a striking instrument, substantially as described.

2. The arrangement ot' the cushion f with the bell B, within a perforated ceremonial hell-case A, substantially iii the manner described.

3. The elastic strip c, stretched across the. opening (l, directly over the bell, substantially as described.

4. The arrangement of the bell l5 und perforated sounding-board S within the ceremonial hell-case A, substantially in the inauucr and for the purpose described.

- J ORN W. SMITH. 'itnesses:

l. W. POTTER, l. T. Lomax. 

